There is nothing quite like a sailing vacation. Whether you’re after sunshine and beam reaches, rum drinks and reggae, or quiet anchorages and adventures ashore, a charter with The Moorings can deliver exactly what you have in mind.

“The British Virgin Islands is our flagship operation and the most popular charter destination in the world”, says Josie Tucci, VP of Marketing for The Moorings. “Over the past few years we have made unprecedented investments in the marina facility and fleet in the BVI, which have all recently been completed. Whether it is your first time visiting us, or you are revisiting The Moorings for the first time in a while, we are confident guests will be pleased with the improvements welcoming them upon arrival.”

From a new watersports shop, to newly-built docks, a new on-site supermarket and remodeled hotel, there is no shortage of upgrades to experience. Also new is the option for a skipper-only charter aboard a dedicated catamaran, in addition to traditional bareboat and fully crewed options. A skipper-only charter is a great choice for anyone who wants a skipper on board to handle all the safety, operation and navigation needs—not to mention bringing in-depth local knowledge along for the ride. With a skipper-only charter, guests are in charge of their own meals. If you enjoy dining ashore at the BVI’s restaurants and bars, then a skipper-only charter can be a great choice.

“The beauty of a charter with The Moorings is that you can enjoy your vacation your way,” Tucci says. “If you want to be fully in command as a bareboater, you can do that. If you want a skipper to handle the boat for you, that’s an option too. And if you want a fully crewed package with a chef to take care of meals, we have wonderful, professional Crews on staff ready to pamper you. However you envision the perfect cruising vacation, The Moorings can make it happen.”

The Moorings flagship base at Road Town, Tortola, had to be completely rebuilt after Hurricane Irma. They took the opportunity to reimagine the base with everything you need to equip your yacht for your itinerary around the BVI. From thenew Moorings Market for provisioning food and beverages (with an online-shopping option), to the water toy rental and watersports shop run by Sail Caribbean Divers, you’ll have everything you need without having to endure an off-base excursion. Just enjoy your first night with dinner and drinks at Charlies Restaurant, featuring  a revamped menu.. There’s also a rejuvenated fleet of sailing catamarans such as the Moorings 4200, the larger Moorings 4500 and the flagship Moorings 5000, each of which won Boat of the Year honors upon launch. The power catamaran fleet now includes the three-cabin Moorings 403PC, the four-cabin 464PC and and the larger 534PC. Prefer a monohull? No problem. As many as 12 brand-new monohull yachts arrive this fall.

And, in great news for anyone traveling from the United States to the British Virgin Islands, American Airlines is now offering seasonal nonstop flights from Miami to Beef Island, Tortola. These flights will operate during the summer and winter months.

Once aboard the boat, the rest of the BVI is yours to discover—explore the magical Baths on Virgin Gorda; sip a Painkiller at the Soggy Dollar on Jost Van Dyke; and check out the Indians, one of the best snorkeling spots in the area. 

In the U.S. Virgin Islands, from The Moorings base at the Marina at Yacht Haven Grande, you can explore all that St. Thomas offers, including abundant shopping and nightlife. Then head out to explore beautiful and laid-back St. John, where you can experience the pristine beaches of Cinnamon Bay, excellent snorkeling at Leinster Bay, and even some hiking trails at Virgin Islands National Park.

Abacos, Bahamas

The Moorings base at the Abaco Beach Resort is located in Marsh Harbour, Bahamas, a central location that makes it the perfect place to start your exploration of the Abacos—a longtime favorite destination for cruising sailors. Enjoy sailing in the protected waters of the Sea of Abaco to destinations that include quaint villages such as Hope Town and Green Turtle Cay, and abundant secluded anchorages.

Exumas, Bahamas

If you’re looking for an out-islands experience, an Exumas charter might be for you. Departing from The Moorings base at Palm Cay Marina in Nassau, Bahamas, visitors can then cruise down to the Exuma Cays, a string of 365 islands and cays that stretch for 120 miles. Many sailors who have traveled the world agree that the Exumas are their favorite cruising grounds. Once you go, you will understand. From exploring the mangrove creeks of Shroud Cay and the incredible Thunderball Grotto to the friendly settlement of Black Point and colorful Staniel Cay, the Exumas offer a wide variety of experiences—and unforgettable sunsets on the Great Bahama Bank.

The Magical Med

If your dream sailing vacation includes exploring ancient ruins, villages steeped in history, and a variety of sailing conditions, a sailing vacation in the Mediterranean might be just what you’re looking for. From The Moorings bases in Italy, Greece and Croatia, you can choose the Med experience that suits you best. Looking for sun-soaked beaches, quaint tavernas and excellent scuba diving? Try a charter from Corfu in Greece. Does visiting an abundance of islands offering everything from wild, barren landscapes to historic towns and lively nightlife sound ideal? A Croatia and Dalmatian Islands charter is for you. How about a view of mountain peaks, incredible cuisine, and soaking in hot springs? Check out a sailing vacation from Sicily.

Whichever location you choose, a charter in the Med is an incredible experience. If you are looking to do a bareboat charter in one of these destinations, you will need to have an approved sailing license, such as an International Proficiency Certificate, or have passed ASA 104 (Bareboat Cruising) or US Sailing Bareboat Cruising courses. No certifications? No worries. Crewed charters are available with a captain and a chef.

And don’t worry if you can’t make up your mind about which destination you want to visit next. With so many fantastic options, it sometimes takes several charters to enjoy them all.

“Some of our guests return to The Moorings year after year, exploring new destinations, trying out new boats, and further improving their own sailing skills,” Tucci says. “The fun can be endless if you’re cruising with family and friends. These are the kinds of memories that will last a lifetime.”

For more information and to start booking your charter vacation, visit The Moorings or speak to a vacation planner directly by calling 800-416-0247.

The post Better Than Ever appeared first on Cruising World.

The Moorings, a leading charter company, has announced a partnership with US Sailing, the national governing body for sailing in the United States. The collaboration aims to bolster support for sailors and sailing organizations across the country.

As part of their commitment to promoting cruising and sailing worldwide, The Moorings will provide discounted rates on charters exclusively for US Sailing members. In addition, US Sailing Keelboat schools and students will receive an extra discount on their charters. To encourage more people to experience the thrill of sailing, US Sailing will offer four opportunities throughout the year for sailing community members to win their own charter.

US Sailing, also known as the United States Sailing Association, plays a vital role in leading, advancing, and maintaining the integrity of the sport in the United States. They offer comprehensive training and education programs for instructors and race officials, support various sailing organizations and communities, issue offshore rating certificates, and oversee competitive sailing events nationwide, including the prestigious National Championships and the US Sailing Team.

Alan Ostfield, CEO of US Sailing, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “US Sailing is proud to welcome The Moorings to our family of partners. Our primary goal is to introduce more people to the joy of being out on the water. With The Moorings’ exceptional charter services, both seasoned and inexperienced sailors can expect an unforgettable sailing adventure. We are thrilled to facilitate this opportunity for our members and the broader sailing community.”

Ian Pedersen, Senior Marketing Manager of The Moorings, shared his excitement about the collaboration, saying, “The Moorings is thrilled to partner with US Sailing and expand our efforts to promote sailing in the United States. Through this partnership, we aim to attract new audiences to the sailing community while strengthening the skills and confidence of existing sailors across the country. This will make charter vacations worldwide more accessible than ever. US Sailing is the perfect partner for this worthwhile mission.”

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One summer evening many years back, a friend invited me to sail on a new Leopard 47 off Newport, Rhode Island. Although daylight was slowly fading, there was still a tug of a breeze when we met on the dock. After 11 years of cruising on my 60-year-old, gaff-rigged double-ender Tosca, just the ease of boarding the Leopard with a simple, normal step onto a stable platform—with no life-threatening leaps, stern-boarding cardio or ultra-­athletic bowsprit avoidance—impressed me.

But as we slid out of the marina and hoisted the main, bluewater-voyaging PTSD washed over me, and I fought the need to madly stow charcuterie boards and wineglasses, my bags, their bags, pillows, plates, everything. When the captain suggested we set the jib, I braced myself in the cockpit, a reaction from years spent sailing with tight sheets on a steep heel. I still remember the sensation as we caught the first gust on the fast cat: We lifted over the water and took off, flying across the bay. Nothing on the tables slid. Nothing down below moved. No one was sprayed or flung across the cockpit. It was so quiet. The moon rose, the stars came out. More bottles of wine appeared. I was all-in.

That sunset sail decades ago brought me up to speed on what I’d been missing about cruising multihulls. My slow-but-much-beloved ketch provided full-contact sailing. I knew very little about multihulls, and the little I knew wasn’t helpful. I’d been cruising with friends on a wet Wharram cat in western Fiji and daysailing on a worn-down trimaran in Tonga. I’d seen the French cruisers zip by on their multihulls in Tahiti, but none of my Pacific friends in 1990s had anything close to the Leopard 47 I sailed that night.

None of my cruising friends had a million dollars either, so when asking if a multihull is right for you, let’s get right to it: Multihulls are expensive. The five new multihulls in CW’s 2023 Boat of the Year range in price from just under $1 million to just over $2 million. CW’s 2023 Best Cruising Multihull, the Fountaine Pajot Tanna 47, is listed at $825,000. And the pre-owned market is pretty competitive. The 23-year-old Leopard 47 model I sailed that night, after two decades of use, is listed for $350,000.

If there’s a silver lining here, it’s that multihulls hold their value. But the first step in determining whether a multihull is right for you is to talk to a builder or broker about your budget.

People, Plans and the South Pacific

If you’ve made peace with the buy-in and you’ve budgeted for the boat of your dreams, there are a lot of people with you. The 2022 State of the Sailing Industry Report numbers show that despite the cost, plenty of people are choosing the multihull path.

The most recent statistics show that 980 of the 4,937 new sailboats sold in the United States in 2021 were ­multihulls. That’s just shy of 20 percent. The ­multihulls break out as 654 domestic ­p­roduction and 326 imports. And ­multihulls make up 45 percent of the sailing charter fleet. 

“The multihull movement started in earnest in the early 1990s, when The Moorings put catamarans such as Lagoon in the charter fleets, and Fountaine Pajot brought out the Venezia 42,” says Phil Berman, founder and president of Balance Catamarans. Berman founded The Multihull Company in 1999 and watched the steady growth of the multihull segment over the next several decades. The market struggled in 2008-10 with the financial crisis, but it exploded after that. 

“Over the past 10 to 15 years, the market itself has matured quite a bit, with the retirement of the baby boomers,” he says. “The multihull market was growing steadily, but it really exploded during the pandemic. Balance Catamarans has grown from building two or three boats a year to 24 boats a year.”

And while The Moorings was the biggest player to popularize catamarans in the charter industry, Berman says, Hobie Alter did more than anyone for the catamaran industry as whole. Alter brought Hobie Cats to the public in the 1970s, and introduced fun, ­competitive sailing to young people outside of yacht clubs or any formal sail training. Many of those early Hobie Cat racers are owners in today’s cruising- and ­performance-multihull fleets.

What the Owners Say

“I grew up around monohulls and powerboats,” says circumnavigator Amy Alton. “My dad bought a Hobie Cat, and then a Maine Cat 30, where I had my first cruising experiences, and later, the one that my husband first sailed on.”

The boat she has today is a Fountaine Pajot Helia 44: “When we picked out our cruising boat, we were looking for good performance for downwind sailing and comfortable living space. Starry Horizons has been our home for eight years and is the boat we circumnavigated on.” 

Performance, comfort and stability are the top reasons many cruisers choose multihulls. Faster offshore passages with downwind speed and overall higher cruising speeds are priorities. Mile for mile, multihulls are simply faster. Decades earlier, cruisers worried about how a multihull sailor might manage extreme weather conditions at sea. Advances in weather technologies such as Predict Wind have eliminated surprises during shorter passages, and the technological advancements in communication and route planning allow cruisers to track and avoid extreme weather during longer crossings.

This matters if you’re eyeing the Coconut Milk Run westward across the Pacific. There’s a lot of downwind miles, and a multihull will eat them up faster. In a blow, multihulls might be able to cover more miles faster, toward safety.

What about going to windward? Realistically, cruising multihulls can struggle; they typically sail close-hauled at 55 to 60 degree true wind angle. Performance catamarans can cut those angles a lot closer, sailing 45 to 50 TWA.

“Starry Horizons doesn’t point very well to the wind, but you know what? Neither do I,” Alton says. “We rarely rush our weather windows, so uncomfortable passages are few and far between.”

For cruisers looking to spend a season or two in the Bahamas or Caribbean, a multihull’s shallow draft and open, airy living quarters are a popular choice. With flights to the United States a short hop away, onboard space for guests is also ideal. 

If you’re considering a multihull, where do you intend to spend most of your time? While the Caribbean trade winds and downwind sailing through the South Pacific make sense, the Roaring 40s might not. The French Riviera and the Italian Riviera simply might not have the space, and other destinations such as Spain and Scandinavia require research if you hope to secure a marina berth or schedule a haulout. In many places, end caps or slips with wide enough space for a cat’s beam might be close to twice the price, if you can find one open. Know before you go.

There’s also the need to adjust to handling such a beamy boat. I remember the joy of flying down Florida’s Caloosahatchee River in a 50-foot power cat over a Thanksgiving weekend, heading for a reserved spot at Sanibel Marina. But when we arrived at the dock with the light fading and the current and wind against us, I was relieved to see the dockmaster standing ready with a line. “It’s like ­parking a tennis court,” he said.

Dave Newman, a cruiser who sails the Balance 442 performance cat Umoya, says that the trade-offs he and his wife have made for the multihull life are worth it. He acknowledges that slips cost more and are harder to come by, but he usually anchors out. “More living, less camping,” Newman says. “Our boat’s comfortable on long passages and is a relatively flat sailing platform. The salon provides lots of light, great views, and headroom for taller people. We have redundant power with two engines, more coachroof space for solar panels, and a galley that is very pleasant to cook in.”

Although they need to manage weight sensitivity and clean two hulls instead of one, he’s happy with the design and sailing performance of his cat and, after a couple of years of cruising the Caribbean, hopes to head to the South Pacific.

 “Don’t wait too long to buy a boat,” he says. “Buy what you can afford and just go. Multihull or monohull, whichever sparks your desire to sail.”

“Catamarans have been in my DNA since 1970, when I was racing Hobie Cats in Southern California,” says Kevin Hutton, who recently joined Newman, Berman and others at a Balance Owners Rendezvous in St. Maarten. “However, in those days, cats were still unique, and our family sailed monohulls, specifically Catalina yachts. Our last boat was a Catalina 440, but to be honest, I never gave up my Hobie Cats and have a few of them stashed in the Bahamas and Baja that I still sail.”

He and his wife, Sandy, chartered catamarans a few times, but they missed the performance of Hobie Cats, so they decided on a new Balance 482. Sandy loved the idea of being part of the development of a new performance cat, and liked the ability to stow everything a second home requires. Stability, ease of anchoring, and ease of sail-handling became more important over time too.

They both love the integration of the cockpit and salon, which allows a greater area to socialize. And they both felt more comfortable with the boat’s systems and performance after some training. “The days of singlehanding a monohull doesn’t prepare you for singlehanding a ­performance cat,” Hutton says. “Any sailor who has not had modern performance cat experience needs to be humble enough to seek experienced training, especially if your crew is new to sailing.”

Over time, you learn that your boat will need repairs and things will get broken, he says, but you will also enjoy fixing things, eventually. All boats have frustrations; attitude is everything. 

“My wife and I have embraced the education and training, and I am glad that I took the ASA Course and hired professional captains to help us learn together. It’s made us a better team, and that extends well past sailing. We’re looking forward to expanding our experiences and capabilities. And we’re hoping to add our dog, Roca, to the crew next year.” 

Theresa Nicholson is senior editor of Cruising World. She cruised the Caribbean, South America, South Pacific, Micronesia and Southeast Asia for 11 years on her gaff-rigged Atkin ketch, Tosca.

Monohull Sailors Go Multi

It all started as many sailing stories do: I raced monohulls as a kid in San Francisco with my dad. After Lennie and I married, we stepped away from sailing to raise a family, but we chartered in the Caribbean. After a few trips, Lennie suggested that a catamaran would be a good choice for our three kids. I was horrified and didn’t want any part of it. Eventually I succumbed, and we realized just how great catamarans were for a crowd like us. But whenever Lennie and I charted without the kids, we sailed strictly on monohulls.

When our youngest went to college in 2012, we decided that it was time to buy our own boat. Neither of us even considered a cat. We bought a Hunter 49, which we could sail to weather, with a generator, air conditioner, a washer-­dryer and a ­watermaker—and the added bonus of headroom for me (I’m 6-foot-4). We sailed the Caribbean for three years and loved every minute of it. 

A few years into it, several couples who owned large monohulls started telling me they were switching to cats, for the creature comforts and the ease of sailing flat. “Sailing flat?” I asked. “What does that have to do with anything? To sail, you have to bury your rail!” 

Eventually, curiosity overtook us, and we did our research and visited Leopard Catamarans in Florida and really liked the forward cockpit. The designer, Simonis Voogd, said that they designed boats to sail and live on comfortably—not the other way around. 

We ordered a Leopard 48 and outfitted it in Fort Lauderdale with Just Catamarans. By the time we took delivery, half of the new Leopards were going to private owners instead of into the charter fleets. We sailed that boat 18,000 nautical miles. The leg from the Caribbean to the Panama Canal would have been a rocking-­and-rolling mess on our monohull. On our cat? A calm, luxurious trip. We averaged around 7.5 knots under sail and had some thrills at 12 to 14 knots.

After three years, we pulled the trigger on a new Leopard 50. Its design and construction made the boat stiffer between the hull and bridge deck. We took delivery in 2019 and were set to sail to the South Pacific with a rally in 2020, until the pandemic canceled those plans. Instead, we sailed to New England and then throughout the Caribbean again. We had a great time. Our five years of experience sailing catamarans gave us time to consider upgrading to a performance cat.

Today, we have ordered a Kinetic 54, which we think of as the ultimate cat. It’s solid carbon fiber and still full of luxury, another Simonis Voogd creation. When we sail this boat, it feels as comfortable as a typical cruising cat but performs like a speed machine. And tacking into the wind achieves 50 degrees easy, so we can leave the motor off and sail more. Our Kinetic 54 will be delivered in May. We plan to spend a month in Cape Town, South Africa, shaking her down. After that, who knows? We’ve seen every island in the Caribbean thrice, so it’s time to go beyond. -Randy Smith

Randy and Lennie Smith are serial entrepreneurs and commuter cruisers who live and work in South Florida. They’ve been ­married 25 years and spend the majority of their free time cruising.

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A trip to the beautiful British Virgin Islands is incomplete without getting on some sailboats. On our trip to visit The Moorings on their base in Tortola, we had the chance to step onboard the new Moorings 4500 sailing catamaran – and boy were we impressed. Check out the video to see for yourself, and see even more information (or book a charter!) at The Moorings’ website.

Specs at a Glance:

• Max Passengers: 11
• Toilets: 4
• Showers: 5
• Length Overall: 45′ 0”
• Beam: 24’2”
• Draft: 5’1”
• Water Capacity: 206 gal.
• Engine: 2 x Yanmar 45HP
• Fuel Capacity: 185 gal.

The post Cruising World Onboard: The Moorings 4500 appeared first on Cruising World.

A trip to the beautiful British Virgin Islands is incomplete without getting on some sailboats. On our trip to visit The Moorings on their base in Tortola, we had the chance to step onboard the new Moorings 4200 sailing catamaran – and boy were we impressed. Check out the video to see for yourself, and see even more information (or book a charter!) at The Moorings’ website.

Specs at a Glance:

• Max Passengers: 10
• Toilets: 4
• Showers: 4
• Length Overall: 41′ 7”
• Beam: 23’1”
• Draft: 4’7”
• Sail Area: 1,217 square feet
• Water Capacity: 174 gal.
• Engine: 2 x Yanmar 45HP Diesel engine with saildrive
• Fuel Capacity: 158 gal.

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From the idyllic cruising grounds of the Caribbean to the enchanting shores of the Mediterranean, the tropic splendor of far east Thailand to the exotic charm of Tahiti, Tonga, and the Indian Ocean’s Seychelles. No matter where your adventure compass points to, secluded beaches, pristine waters, and breathtaking views reign supreme.

With The Moorings’ exclusive menu of over 20 top-rated sailing destinations spanning across the globe, you can create custom passages and one-of-a-kind charter experiences time and again. Come aboard and discover your own piece of paradise, on your private Five-Star vacation platform, in the company of those most cherished. The world is waiting….go capture something extraordinary.

Visit moorings.com to start your journey.

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A trip to the beautiful British Virgin Islands is incomplete without getting on some sailboats. On our trip to visit The Moorings on their base in Tortola, we had the chance to step onboard the new Moorings 5000 sailing catamaran – and boy were we impressed. Check out the video to see for yourself, and see even more information (or book a charter!) at The Moorings’ website.

Specs at a Glance:

• Max Passengers: 11
• Toilets: 4
• Showers: 5
• Length Overall: 50’6
• Beam: 26’5
• Draft: 5’3
• Sail Area: 1660 sq ft
• Water Capacity: 185 gal.
• Engine: 2 x 57hp Yanmar
• Fuel Capacity: 243 gal.

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Installing Moorings in French Polynesia’s Rapa Iti Bay

Cruisers worked with the remote island’s community members to set two moorings, which now provide a safe spot for boats and protect the bay’s fragile coral ecosystem.

Treasured Islands in the BVI

With pandemic restrictions eased, a charter crew returns to find out just how good it feels to unfurl sails once again in the British Virgin Islands.

New Vacation Sailing Charter Options in Florida

Looking for great charter destinations that you can drive to? Here are two more to add to your list.

BVI Seeds of Love

With generous donations of seedlings, volunteers are replanting trees and vegetation that was lost in Hurricane Irma.

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Going for Gold in the BVI

To mark its 50th year in business, The Moorings invited family and friends to its home in the British Virgin Islands for a week’s worth of fun and sun under sail.

March 2020 Chartering Update

Monthly news and notes from the charter and vacation sailing industry.

October 2019 Chartering Update

Monthly news and notes from the charter and vacation sailing industry.

September 2019 Chartering Update

Monthly news and notes from the charter and vacation sailing industry.

Best Charter Boat: The Leopard 50/Moorings 5000

Cruising World Judges found the Moorings 5000 version of the Leopard 50 to be the best boat for a sailing vacation.

Moorings and Sunsail Open New Base in St. Martin

Need a sailing vacation? This Caribbean destination has new boats and a new location at Marina Fort-Louis.

New Boats Available for Charter in the Caribbean

New monohull models are making their debut at The Moorings’ Caribbean bases in winter 2016-17.

Crewed Charter News

New boats and new locations are available this year for charter from companies around the world.

Moorings 5800

More than a mere catamaran, the astounding Moorings 5800 is a full-fledged floating holiday resort.

The post The Moorings appeared first on Cruising World.

Stretching throughout the Caribbean, the British Virgin Islands are a kaleidoscope of aquamarine waters, sun-soaked harbors, and white-sand beaches. It was here where The Moorings first started more than 50 years ago with a small fleet of monohulls and from where it grew to the premier charter company it is today. Nowadays, with more than 200 yachts, the marina on Tortola is still the largest amongst the 20 bases that The Moorings calls “home”.

Since the hurricane that hit the BVI in 2017, the resilient islands made a fantastic comeback and guests can be sure to receive all support needed to make their trip a smooth cruising experience from beginning to end at The Moorings base location in Road Town.

Under a new name—the Mariner Yacht Club—the restaurant, pool, and bar area in the center of the marina property have undergone a complete renovation, giving it a clean, modern, and inviting aesthetic. It is the perfect place to lounge and unwind after a long day of traveling or enjoy one last cocktail before catching your flight home.

The provisioning store has moved to a more convenient location on-site and was greatly increased in size. An upgrade to multiple industrial-sized washers and dryers, which also have automated ironing capabilities, help the Tortola cleaning team save precious time and effort in order to get guests off the dock on time.

The Mariner Inn hotel which was heavily impacted by Hurricane Irma has undergone a full renovation in the months since too. All garden and marina-view rooms have received a full upgrade and retrofit, making the hotel once again one of the premier accommodation options on the island.

With a few exceptions all bars and restaurants have reopened since the storm, and with all-time favorites like the Cooper Island Beach Club, Soggy Dollar, and the Willy T on your cruising itinerary and a private vacation platform under your feet every day is a fun day in the BVI.

Whether guests are interested in the freedom of a sail-it-yourself bareboat yacht, the all-inclusive luxury of a crewed yacht with captain and chef, or the speed and convenience of an innovative power catamaran, The Moorings is proud to offer premier quality yacht charters all around the world catered to the unique needs of the individual traveler.

Learn more about The Moorings’ premier yacht charter vacations and all locations worldwide at Moorings.com.

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During press events at the Miami International Boat Show, The Moorings, MarineMax Vacations and Dream Yacht Charter announced new destinations for vacation sailors:

The Moorings, now in Martinique

Great trade-wind sailing with French flair? Yes please! The Moorings announced Martinique as their newest destination. Bareboat and skippered charters aboard sail and power yachts are open for booking now for winter 2019 departures. Located in the heart of the Windward Islands, Martinique is a mountainous island and a mecca for French-Caribbean culture, maritime history and world-class sailing. The Moorings base is at the modern La Marina du Marin, which is about 45 minutes from the international airport.

Nicknamed the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean, Martinique is a cultural melting pot that blends cosmopolitan appeal with island charm. “From hiking through lush rainforests to bathing in natural hot springs, strolling on black-sand beaches to feasting on French and Creole cuisine, this one-of-a-kind destination is worthy of every traveler’s bucket list,” says Josie Tucci, vice president of sales and marketing for The Moorings. For more information, visit moorings.com/martinique.

MarineMax Vacations expands to the Bahamas

MarineMax Vacations, which is based in the British Virgin Islands, has selected the Bahamas to expand their charter operation. The new base will be located at the Abaco Beach Resort, which is located at Marsh Harbour, and easily accessible with flights from Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale or Miami to Marsh Harbour International Airport. “We are proud to be working with this iconic resort to bring catamaran charters to a new audience while opening up the opportunity to have a change of scenery for those who know MarineMax Vacations,” says Raul Bermudez, vice president of MarineMax Charter Division.

Guests can choose from a variety of power catamarans ranging from 36 to 48 feet or a sailboat through one of MarineMax Vacations’ partner charter companies. For more information, visit marinemaxvacations.com.

Dream Yacht Charter brings Dream Boat Club to North America

And for something a little different, Dream Yacht Charter announced that they are bringing their Dream Boat Club to North America. Different from the yacht-charter side of the business, Dream Boat Club is a membership-based program that offers use of a variety of boats in multiple locations. The club is based off the earlier success if its European model, and is a reflection of today’s growing sharing economy. Upon joining, Dream Boat Club members receive training on boat handling and then simply have to schedule when they would like to use the boat. Membership dues cover all maintenance, mooring and insurance fees as well on fleets of newer, well-equipped boats. The company plans to have locations throughout the US and Canada in the near future. Learn more at dreamboatclub.com.

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